WWE Main Event/NXT: Less is More

For the last couple of months I have really gotten into WWE Main Event - WWE's 'C' show. After Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown - the WWE's two main shows in the last twenty years - Main Event has fast become the next best show. In my opinion it has now become one of the better shows that WWE produces. It is also a very important show in the development of talent.

Main Event debuted in October 2012 and has gone onto showcase various levels of the WWE's talent. Each week seems to focus on whoever may need some TV time that week. In the early shows the 'main event' of the evening would be a bout between the likes of CM Punk and Sheamus, this would then be followed by a match with 'lesser' talent such as a Santino Marella or a Zack Ryder.

As the weeks and months have gone on, the need to 'sell' the show to the audience by having a 'main event' guy such as a Punk or a Cena have passed, and it is now the mid-card that have been heavily focused with the occasional appearance by a top tier talent. It's good to see the focus away from the likes of Cena, Punk, The Rock and, for the majority, the World Champion. Instead, the mid-card champions get a good amount of exposure.

In the last couple of months, whether they have won or lost, Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro have made quite a few appearances. This is very important for both of them, and shows the aim of this show - elevating and nurturing the future main eventers.

Another huge positive of this show is that it has a duration of only one hour - after three hours of Raw and two hours of Smackdown, this is a welcome 'bitesized' show that the WWE brings to us. Within this hour is usually two top class matches, a recap of the developments from Raw that week and the occasional video package highlighting a particular superstar or upcoming event (just lately Wrestlemania has been heavily hyped and advertised). As a result, a great way to describe this show would be 'to the point'.

Another of WWE's offerings that I have also started to watch is the developmental territory; NXT.

This show started out as a reality TV show, where there would be tasks set for the contenders, regular eliminations, and culminating in the winner being elevated to the main WWE roster. Two successful winners from this show are the current Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett (Season one winner) and current Diva's Champion Kaitlyn (Season three winner).

During 2012, the WWE dropped the reality TV/competition aspect and changed the set-up of this show making it much like the current crop of shows that WWE produces. In addition to this they would incorporate members of the defunct FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) roster. Ultimately, they were combining NXT and FCW. Therefore, this show would be full of development talent and 'rookies'. Normal feuds and storylines would happen, but it would be between guys (and girls) that were hoping to become stars of the future.

In the last year, the pace has quickened; new Championships have been introduced and new Champions have then been crowned. Seth Rollins and Big E Langston have been the only two NXT Heavyweight Champions so far. Both men have since been elevated to the main WWE roster now so I can imagine another crowning will be happening in the next few weeks.

A positive that WWE could use with regards to it's main shows is that the NXT's hour long show is wrestling-heavy; there are promos and verbal confrontations where needed, but the majority of the show is devoted to what we all came to see - wrestling.

In conclusion, both of these shows have the same aims and goals; just at different stages in the process of getting to the top of this profession. NXT is the grass roots part of getting to the WWE. It seems that if you're seen as an NXT Champion - or even NXT Tag Team Champion - then the future could be very bright for you. This has been the case for both Seth Rollins and Big E Langston, who have not only been elevated to the main roster, but positioned in very prominent roles very early in their main roster careers.

Similarly, Main Event is where you want to be when you are on your way to the top - take Cesaro or Barrett; these guys will be the future and the exposure and time that they get on Main Event is priceless in showing off their skills and getting them to that point in their career.

Both of these shows are a must see if you don't have the time in your week to struggle through the five-plus hours of Raw and Smackdown. They get to the point (as I have stated in previous articles!) and are very enjoyable; good match lengths as well as seeing the talented future of the WWE.

The stars of the future?

@jimmosangle